A Dying Nation
by Azarathian Angel
Summary: A lone group of vagabonds struggle to survive in the midst of a bitter war between Procyons and Empire…yet trust is but a vapor and the universe seems against them as Jim begins to realize he doesn't know Sora as well as he thought. Sequel.
1. Prologue

**A/N:**

Bear with me through this short little prologue at the beginning here, because the sequel has an awesome plot. And, before I begin, I do have to say, I'm using a lot of helpful information from the _Treasure Planet: a Voyage of Discovery _book and the computer game… ah, yes, and the Procyons will make an appearance, if you know who they are. Though, anything about them will hardly be accurate since I've yet to finish the computer game… stupid pirates blowing up Jim's ship… grrr…

Oh, and just a little promise for you: I'm trying to write more of it from Jim's point of view. I think that would've made the first one a lot better.

Disclaimer: If I really owned Treasure Planet by now, don't you think I'd be shoving it in your faces… uh, I mean comforting you in your loss? cough

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_Date: 01.0-020.50_

_Place: R.L.S. Amphitrite_

_One hundred years before the destruction of Connaissance, the legend had begun; deep within the farthest reaches of our galaxy, the Forefathers had left behind a legacy: a planet made entirely of metal, a machine. For nearly a century, the people of Connaissance aimed to use the same technology for their own purposes._

_It became their downfall._

_The explosion created a rogue wave, wiping out nearly half of the population: over three billion people were killed, including a group of Procyon ships sent to protect their Ambassador. They mistook it for a deliberate attack. With their audacious fury, our numbers decreased –soon, I was assumed to be one offive-thousand _**survivors.**

_Of course, I had Nathaniel to thank for that._

_-Henai Wycomb_

-----

The thunder cracked across the sky, followed closely by a bolt of lighting. Its bright light shown through the windows of the largest pub on the mud-covered street. Outside, the cold, dark atmosphere held its contrast against the upbeat room just past the windows. No one heard the torrents of rain falling upon the pantiled roof, for they were much too distracted by other things –a bit of gambling, strong drink, or the overall lightheartedness of the evening.

The chairs and tables were in disarray as yet another fight broke out in the far right corner of the pub. The young man sitting at the bar paid them no mind. He merely stared at the half-empty bottle in his hand, his thoughts engulfing him completely as was usual. He knew nothing of the events to come –that one small overheard conversation could set into motion a path to… a redemption, of sorts.

He knew nothing… yet it was too quiet; the past few days too uneventful. Something was going to happen.

"…horrible," The man sitting at the bar beside him continued. Avery nodded, jumping back into the Captain's rant. "Disgusting rains. We'll be stuck 'ere at port for days, we will."

"Aye." He answered. It was easy sometimes –talking to Napier. The man required him only to listen for the most part. In all honesty, Avery hadn't been the most social person in at two years. Then again, things happened. And some things could change who one was, if they had enough impact on one's life. "They'll end eventually though, and we'll be on our way."

For a man of only twenty-three it seemed unlikely that he was old enough to become first mate to a man such as Matthew Napier. Or any captain for that matter. Yet, Avery had, literally, a lifetime of experience. That, he supposed, had made all the difference. _That_ and he knew the Etherium like the back of his hand. Either one was good, whichever way you looked at it. Napier nodded and seemed to stare off into space, as he often did. He turned away from the captain and looked across the bar.

The maid behind the counter was chatting nonchalantly with a man leaning over the bar. She twisted her black curls around her fingers, the smile on her face distinctively fake. It made him think –where the heck was Evelyn? She was usually here by now… that is, she never missed getting a good drink when they were at port. He looked over his shoulder, as if to make sure she wasn't standing right behind him, ready to throw a witty insult. As if he hadn't gotten enough of _that_ from… _no_. Those memories were forbidden. He knew that.

He sighed, just as he looked over to a table in the back. Beneath a swinging overhead lamp, three men sat together, all facing one young man across from them. The young man, still pretty much a boy and not many years younger than himself, had a look of complete seriousness about his expression, while the men across from him had been laughing. He raised his voice at them, slamming some book onto the table. It was then that the three stood up, their laughter ending.

Avery was sure no one in the pub could miss what one man shouted.

"That's enough boy! I don't want to hear any of this nonsense again! Leave us be." He pounded his fist onto the table as the others agreed with angry faces.

The young man stood up defiantly. "But if you would just listen-" His face came into the light. Astonishingly, he was a Crocuta; his hyena-like appearance could tell anyone that. One of only a few left alive to be exact. "This leads to her planet! It's been lost for over hundreds of years! If you were to find it, you'd be the richest men sailing the Etherium! All you need is to find the compendium-"

With a furious face, the man picked up the book from the table. "If you think this stupid little journal is going to help you find some God-forsaken planet then go right ahead. But don't expect any help from us." With that, he threw it easily across the room, pages flying out and landing slowly onto the ground. It fell behind the bar, though the maid paid it no mind.

One of the men, shorter and round about the stomach wheezed in a comment, sneering. "Good luck!" Sarcasm. Something found commonly around these lots.

Jumping up from the table, the boy rushed to collect the papers that were strewn across the floor. Avery shook his head at him just as Napier took another drink. The captain never really paid attention to others much. He had to tear his gaze away from the back wall, lined with bottles, when a paper floated down onto the counter next to him. He had no idea what the boy had tried to get those men to help him with, yet the paper caught his eye.

It certainly was a journal. An old one to be exact –but what caught his eye was the drawing on this particular page. It was an astronomical compendium, a detailed picture showing the tools inside and the inscription on the cover. Avery, however, had seen the item many times before –and it certainly wasn't a drawing.

He picked up the paper with a completely dumbfounded look on his reptilian face just as the young Crocuta came up, his arms laden with aged pages. From the look he had, Aver would have guessed the boy expected another insult. But, just as the young man opened his mouth, Napier chose to speak up.

"Eh? What have you there, Avery?" He scratched his head and gave an otherwise apathetic look.

He honestly couldn't move his eyes from the paper. But, at least he could speak. "Your name?" He addressed the boy.

"Israel." The voice replied. "Israel Hastings."

"Whose is this?" Avery continued, perplexed at the picture's familiarity.

Israel raised an eyebrow. "Whose? Are you kidding me? Its Henai Wycomb's of course! Greatest inventor ever to sail the skies, _and_ first mate to the famous Flint. Everyone knows that." This kid certainly was cocky.

"What is it?" Napier asked, frustrated at the fact his first mate had not answered him.

Avery shook his head, a wicked grin spreading over his face. "It's not hers. Not right now, anyway."

"Wait!" The kid pushed his blond hair out of his face before asking. "You know who has it?"

"Better." He answered almost immediately, realizing that there was an adventure to be had. "I know who has it. _And where_ she is."

-----

_Lightening… Why was there lightening in this darkness? She pondered this, among many other things. Off to the side… in front of her… within a hand's reach the light struck soundlessly. There was nothing but the darkness, so choking –she was drowning in it. And then –yes, there was light, just as she blinked._

_She saw red._

_A reddened sky… the color of blood that she knew too well… it was lifeless. A wind pushed her hair back, and she breathed deep, staying all too calm than was normal. She couldn't account for her actions –she wasn't even able to control them now. She wasn't able to look down, but she could feel the ground beneath her as she fell to her knees painfully. It was hard –unforgiving yet so familiar._

_Yes, she recalled it now. She had been here before._

_She knew not why, or when. Thoughts were usually inaccessible now, anyway. Around her boots, ashes swirled in the winds, moving in tight spirals. Her pale fingers brushed the ground… it was cold, contradicting the warm air that spoke only one thing: fire. She could swear she saw it out of the corner of her eye –just at the edges of her vision. She shook her head and shut her eyes, yet the moment she did, a voice rang out in the stillness._

"_What…" Her eyes opened quickly, the hair on the back of her neck standing straight. "…side…" It hissed._

_She knew that voice._

_She knew it better than anyone. And, she turned around quickly, suddenly finding herself at her feet already. She searched –searched for that voice that couldn't possibly be speaking to her. It was illogical._

"_Cheater."_

_She whipped around once more, her black hair flying over her shoulder._ That _voice, her voice –it was spoken clearly, as if right next to her. But, she hadn't even opened her mouth._

"_I suppose so."_

_Every muscle in her body froze up at the sound. It was then, with perfect nonchalance, that a man stepped out from behind her and continued walking. He stopped only a few feet ahead of her and turned his head back. Those eyes… she knew them._

_Grant._

_She did nothing more than mouth the name, for she was unable to find her voice at the moment. The silver hair… dark green skin… she even recognized the hilt of the sword he carried at his side and the stoic look on his face. A piercing noise reached her ears –metal upon metal… a sword grating across the ground. There was no hesitance as she clamped her hands over her ears and shut her eyes._

"_No." She gasped, feeling weaker by the moment as fear welled up in her. She didn't understand her thoughts. How could she feel so terrified, and so relieved at the same time? Why would she be scared of him in the first place?_

_And then, all those things she didn't want to remember… all those memories she tried to so hard to forget… they all flashed before her closed eyes in an instant._

"_You treat this like a game! Our lives are on the line, here…" She shouldn't have yelled._

_He could've been less harsh, though. "You think I'm hiding? …It hardly seems your own choice… just disappointed."_

"_If you're angry with him, then why fight me?" She would've rather it been her, than have his life on the line._

_She'd never heard that much anger in his voice… the kind that had pushed him to madness -"You started to listen."_

"_No!" She couldn't take it anymore. Her eyes shot open and she started forward and looked him straight in the eye, though her hands were trembling as she curled them into fists. "You're not here! You're not real!" She grabbed his jacket, trying to push him away –trying to convince herself that he was a dream. Her vision clouded and she suddenly realized it was from her own tears, falling effortlessly down her face._

_Her breath was uneven, and her knees shook. Yet, she had to see. She tilted her head up to look at him. Those green eyes –they were so alive now, shining. How ironic. But why?_

_The ground trembled as she heard a large explosion echo from beneath the surface. Regretfully, she fell as she felt the vibrations deep in her chest, but she looked up at him –not wanting him to disappear again. He took a step back from her, his emotionless face turning to one of pity._

"_I'm sorry, Sora." _

_The words rang in her head, though he hadn't even opened his mouth. He reached down to his belt and pulled out his pistol. There wasn't even an ounce of care on his face for what he was about to do…_

"_I really am…"_

She jerked awake, sitting up immediately. The cold air met her sweat soaked skin, and she shivered as she looked around quickly. Nothing there but shadows. The early morning light filtered in through the curtains and with each passing moment, she felt as if she were breaking the silence with her ragged breathing. Pulling her knees up to her chest, she wrapped her arms around them for comfort. The covers fell away from her legs with a slight breeze as she lifted a hand to her face. She was disappointed and angry to find tears still running down her face.

She muttered an oath, and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Her bare feet touched down on the frozen wooden floor, but she took a few steps away from the bed anyway. Her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting quickly and she made her way towards the door before stopping and turning on her heel. Out of curiosity, she pulled back the dark blue cloth from the window a few inches. Of course, everyone would be up before she was. That was how it always worked. But even the calm and quiet scene outside couldn't comfort her now. Nothing could –at least, until she saw him. Yes, there was something to look forward to now.

From outside her window, one could have seen her shake her head and turned away, the curtain falling back into place quickly. But, no one outside would've had the time to stop. No, things were much too busy already. The crowds outside the apartments moved around in a mess, some people heading to the small market or the docks. There was an odd feeling in the early summer air. Something the town of Benbow never had –tension. Something wasn't right. Of course, no one, especially _him_, would have ever seen it coming.

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A/N:

Yeah, so… Just stick around till the next chapter. Please?


	2. The Promise

**A/N:**

You ever have one of those days where you feel like getting off your butt and actually writing something? Well, today was one of those days, apparently. Kudos to those off you who have this on alert. I know you probably think I'm horrible for waiting so long but… ah, who am I kidding? I've got no excuses. I haven't posted since January, so you have permission to be mad.

It could've been better, but something's better than nothing, eh?

Disclaimer: Do I look like I own Treasure Planet? …well, you can't see me, of course. So, I guess you wouldn't know… would you?

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They could only be described as beautiful. At least, that's how everyone else would see them. Their speed surprised her as they floated across the sky. The clouds, a lifeless pale tone, blocked the light of Montressor's sun momentarily before letting it fall back down to the surface of the planet. She had always wondered why that type of scene was supposed to be peaceful. For her own reasons, she felt it was anything but.

She closed her eyes as a gust of wind sped in from the canyon. It sent rippling waves through the tall grass, causing a piece of it that was naturally a dull tan color to brush her cheek. She tried to ignore it. But, when she felt it trail across her face, she opened her eyes to see it floating in midair. With a slight grin, she shut her eyes once more. "You know, I think we should've left you back at the inn." The pink protoplasmic pet that had once been her annoyance squeaked in response, though he could not understand her insult.

With a chirp, he looped around in the air and started to pull on a lock of her dark hair that had strayed from the band she kept it up in. "Quit." He ignored her tone of voice and insistently continued.

"Morph!" She shouted with a laugh and turned over onto her stomach. He disappeared in the grasses as her voice rang off the walls of the canyon. Morph popped up as a bubble, only to burst in her face. "Hey!"

His hysterical laughter filled the air as he flew back into the grass. Occasionally, he'd peek out with a smile, only to pull back in a fit of giggling. Resting her chin in her palm, she took a deep breath. Was everything always so peaceful here? It was one of the many things she often wondered. No –it wasn't exactly peaceful. It was… quiet. And that, by itself, was one of the things she still wasn't used to.

Jim sighed in frustration as the engine failed again. The frown he wore became more deeply etched into his face as he began to realize he had no idea why it wasn't working. He opened an incredibly small panel door on the side of the thruster. He wasn't even entirely sure what he was looking for. A loose plug? A broken cable? About a million things, of course, that'd have to be checked.

The moment he heard her shout out, his head shot up, a smile on his face. Her voice was filled with laughter - something he'd never thought he'd hear. She was watching Morph goof-off in the brown grasses only a few yards away, a distant look on her face. When was she not thinking about something? In all the time he'd known her, she was always off somewhere in her thoughts.

He looked down at the hovering surfer for a moment, and then across the way once more. She lay on her back now, looking up at the clouds with a thoughtful look in her eyes. After only a moment, the wrench he had in his hand fell into a small wooden toolbox a few feet from the board.

As she closed her eyes, her Felinid ears twitched at the sound of Morph's maddened giggling off in the distance. They perked up, however, when she heard someone sit down next to her. She waited for him to say something. And, when she didn't hear him speak, she opened her eyes to look at him. He sat beside her, arms behind his back to hold himself up, stretched out comfortably, and head tilted towards the sky.

She felt a grin spread across her face before she could stop it. "So…" Her curiosity always got the better of her, and he knew that by now, naturally.

"So…" He repeated, obviously not having anything to say. He kept his gaze toward the sky for a moment longer before looking down at her. Apparently, the grin was contagious.

"You're frustrated." Her reply was simple. And, of course, it threw him off guard.

"What?"

"I didn't stutter." That made him roll his eyes as he lay down on his back, sighing.

"And how do you know that?" He asked, tilting his head to look at her.

She leaned on an elbow so as to look down at him, black hair falling in front of her face. "It's only too obvious, Jim."

He chuckled slightly. "It's nice to know I'm that transparent." It honestly didn't bother him that she knew exactly how he was feeling. She did that often –but it still didn't surprise him. They knew each other all too well –a result of so much time spent with one another.

Morph made a small peep and flew in between their faces. His eyes were wide and smiling. He obviously had gone too long without attention –a whole two minutes, this time. Sora laughed quietly when he spun around a few times, looking at both of their faces –and the small space in between. Morph then made some sort of gagging noise and a cough at the same time, his pink tongue sticking out.

Jim rolled his eyes and sat up, his faithful little follower hanging around his shoulder. Once he stood up, he held out his hand towards her. "Come on," He said with a smile.

She paused before looking up at him. "I'd rather not." She said in all honesty.

"Why not?" He countered as she sat up.

She glanced over at the solar surfer, certainly the reason he wanted her to come with him. "That thing is a monstrosity." A moment of silence passed. "No offense."

To her relief, he laughed, but pulled her up against her will.

After a few moments, she stepped across the cracked earth that was somehow unable to hold a bit of water. Pushing the thoughts of the planet's unfortunate lack of weather aside, she stood by and watched as Jim messed around with the wires inside the engine. Not one to loiter, she circled the board, noticing small adjustments.

"What's this?" Her voice was followed by ringing echoes, thrown from the canyon's walls. Her eyes trailed over the crescent that had been cut from the board's side. A small copper ring lay suspended inside, surrounding a dark blue stone.

"Crystal capacitor." He answered absentmindedly as something clicked and a satisfied look came across his face. He shut the panel door and brushes the dirt from his hands.

"And that would be…?" She hid her disappointment in not knowing what it was.

A grin spread across his face. "Just something I made," He started as he walked over and steadied the hovering surfer when it began to tilt.

She nodded, looking it over and wondering how it worked. "Ever race with it?"

"Only once."

"Well," She tried not to laugh at the smile on his face. "You've obviously got something to say."

With a shake of his head, he shut his mouth. "Come on," She said. "Out with it."

"Did you win?" She continued, a hand trailing along the railing. He nodded. "Who'd you race? If it was Cliff then it could hardly be called a race. He'd be lucky to make it to the finish line."

"You wouldn't fare much better." He pointed out with a laugh.

"Thus the reason I don't try." Her previous question still wavered in the air, and it was clear from the look on her face that she still expected an answer.

He sighed, an apathetic look covering the smile that tugged at his mouth. "Okay, a couple years ago, right before Bones showed up," He looked up at the sky, nonchalantly. "I was heading towards the old quarry when," He hesitated, "I ran into Ray Quandree."

She did nothing more than stop walking. "_Really?_" Her voice was dripping with sarcasm, and a smirk played on her lips.

"I'm serious, Sora. You asked." He crossed his arms.

"Well of course you are." She said jeeringly. "I mean, what boy _hasn't _met the fastest rider on Montressor?" Quickly, she copied his pose, crossing her arms over her chest. "-and beat him, right?"

Jim shook his head. "Seriously, Sora."

"_Of course_." Though she tried to keep a straight face, her lightly scoffing demeanor broke through.

He sighed and gave her a look. It was then that she realized she'd seen that look before. It was reminiscent of many winter weekends of targeting B.E.N. with snowballs and after Morph took over, turning on one another.

"You wouldn't." She muttered, taking a small step back. _He's not that immature, right? _

_Wrong_.

With a laugh, he tried to grab her, but she'd already made it to the other side of the surfer. Grinning, she ran towards the grasses when he caught her from behind. She hated to admit it, but she couldn't get free –not that she was planning on it much. She turned her head and glared at him for a moment, but it dissolved quickly when he kissed the top of her head. The blood rushed to her face, though it could have been blamed on the heat.

"Okay." He said, still chuckling. "When have I _ever_ lied to you?" He asked.

She opened her mouth in reply, but shut it with a defeated look. "Never."

He smiled triumphantly and let her go, with the exception of her hand. He wasn't going to let her run away again. "Come on, Sora."

She sighed as he continued. "Please come with me." She shook her head and she walked alongside the surfer, having nothing but contempt for the thing.

He put his hand firmly on the railing of the surfer in front of her, stopping her from continuing. She rolled her eyes and backtracked before he put his other hand down also. "Come on." He said, looking into her eyes.

She knew she was trapped, not because she couldn't walk away, but because of the look on his face. "No." She still said stubbornly.

"Please?" He asked quietly, leaning in towards her.

"Definitely not."

He grinned and leaned in close, his lips brushing her jaw. "Please?" He murmured.

She rolled her eyes and tried not to laugh. "No." She cursed on the inside as her voice faltered.

She knew he was grinning as he kissed her cheek. She groaned and crossed her arms. "Never again, got it?"

He pulled away, a smile spreading across his face. "Got it?" She repeated. He laughed and went around the board's side and flipped a switch, the engine rumbling on.

"Do you hear me, James Hawkins?" She shouted over the noise, hand resting on the railing. He nodded, taking her hand.

"Come on. You'll have fun." She rolled her eyes at that. "Really." He insisted.

"Yeah, sure."

"I'm right here with you. We're not gonna crash." She had to roll her eyes once more. "Just hop up on the board and kick off when I do." He said.

She did as he said, one foot still on the ground for balance, regretting every passing minute.

"Ready?" He asked, his voice still full of laughter.

"No." She shook her head with a smile.

"Go-" He said as she pushed off a few moments before he did. "-now."

Her hands gripped the railing forcefully and she kept her eyes near shut. She could hear him laughing as the contraption picked up speed, a weightless feeling in the pit of her stomach. The walls of the canyon passed by quickly, just lines of brown and tan.

They passed a couple quarries, open mine-shafts passing by hundreds of feet above them. Her hair flew everywhere, but it wasn't as if she cared. She knew she'd kill him for this afterword, she reasoned as the board sped up.

-----

The_ Meteora _broke through a cover of cream-colored clouds, hastily leaving the port far behind. With today being particularly dry, the traffic was unusually high –the captains making a mad dash for the window of a rare sunny day. The ship had just made it through that window –needed repairs on the barque's hull keeping them longer than had been expected.

Now that they broke away from the artificial light of the port, a thin darkness fell over the ship. Off in the distance, Avery noticed the Mucculough Etherium Current, a blue river of light. The helmsman noticed this also, the reason he kept a wide berth of it. Rumors had been floating around that the Procyons had blockaded the end. Of course, this couldn't be completely justified, seeing how news traveled quite slowly in Pirate ports. They certainly did not hold much organization.

Avery's eyes, a deep green, scanned the expanse of the current. Who knew when they might have an encounter with an Ironclad? The mysterious ships were spotted in the once neutral territory quite often now.

"A bit jumpy, eh, Avery?" True to the captain's word, Avery felt himself straighten quickly, his eyes tearing away from the current.

"Aye." He answered, turning from the railing. "Not too often we're this close to Procyon territory."

Napier raised an eyebrow and snorted as he walked across the bridge. "Those Procs will stay where they are, if they know what's good fer 'em." The older man squinted at something in the distance. "'Course, if they ever get to crossin' the Breath of Ratec, as they call it, we'll put up a good fight for 'em."

Avery nodded, looking out at the Etherium with unease as he leaned against the railing of the helm. As they scanned the skies in silence, they both heard a dreadful sound –light steps coming quickly down the hallway behind the helm. Avery heard the Captain mutter something obscene and he began to wonder how long they would be able to last with this kid on board.

"Good day." Laden with numerous papers and instruments, Israel walked up to the bridge and set down his heavy burden on an old wooden table.

Napier offered an almost inaudible grunt in return before returning his gaze to open space. The young man's grin told Avery he hadn't spent much time on a ship. He'd wait until a few weeks in. Then the boy would crack. That little smile of his wouldn't last long.

"Are we still looking at a month, here?"

_No patience. _Grant shook his head slightly before speaking. "That's if we're lucky. You know –no solar storms, no black holes, no meteor showers. We might even run into a few of the Empire's ships."

Silence settled in as he took a look at Israel's shocked face. "This ole' barque's faster than most. We're fine." Napier crossed his arms. "What I'm interested in–and the crew also- is how much we might find…"

"Aye. We 'aven't forgotten you're little speech. 'Richest men sailing the Etherium,' you said." Avery raised an eyebrow. "This isn't some treasure trove, though."

Israel sighed, as if annoyed at the idea of having to explain it once more. "We're talking about discovering a planet that's been lost for almost a century! It was one of the most advanced civilizations –Henai was a genius! She invented things no one has ever even imagined. That doesn't matter to anyone of you?"

He received apathetic looks from Captain, first mate, and helmsmen. "Well," He coughed. "I suppose it doesn't. But, you should remember she was one of the wealthiest people on Connaissance. And, she never took a cent with her when she left with Nathaniel."

Napier nodded. "Yet, if she was as crazy as they all said, she probably hid it."

An angry look came across Israel's face, but he said nothing. He wasn't about to speak out against the man who captained the ship he stood on. "Well," He said, straightening his shirt and swallowing his original reply. "She probably did. But with the map _and_ the journal, it should be easy enough to find."

Avery stared out across the deck, his arms resting on the railing, when he felt them staring at him. He raised an eyebrow, turning his head. "What?"

"Where… exactly _is_ the map?" Avery wanted to roll his eyes at the curious look on the crocuta's face.

"The Denebola Galaxy." He answered, looking back to the deck.

With a nod and a silent exchange of words, Napier dismissed the helmsmen, taking the wheel into his hands. For a middle=aged terran, he could do little more than lead and handle a sword. Still, he took great pride in his ownership of the barque.

"We shouldn't make much noise." Napier said, his gaze cast far. "Mostly resource planets, am I right?" Young Hastings nodded, startled as he had just begun to look over planetary charts.

The captain turned the wheel slightly to port. "What's this woman of yours doing out in the Denebola?"

"…Hmm?" Avery pulled his gaze away from Evelyn, who was throwing coils of rope down through a hatch to a man below. "She's not _my_ _woman. _I shudder at the thought."

Napier's roaring laugh could be heard across the bridge. "…Just a friend." The first mate had finished passively.

"Well." Israel said almost to himself. "As long as she has the map." He began to look through the journal once more. "You've seen it, right? It's not damaged –is it?"

Avery groaned softly and shrugged his shoulders, trying his best not to join in the conversation. His eyes scanned the horizon off the starboard side slowly.

The young Crocuta continued on. "It's over a hundred years old…" The two other men were preoccupied with keeping their eyes open, let alone listen. "…am sure it's not very strong. Then again, Henai was a genius. She probably already thought…"

With the current off in the distance, Avery now noticed, he could let his gaze fall somewhere randomly in the Etherium. He could still hear Israel prattle on in the background about the journal or the map or… well, who honestly cared? He usually tried to avoid this –he'd keep himself busy so thoughts like these wouldn't cloud his mind.

_What have I gotten myself into? _He shook his head, knowing they'd reach her planet in about four weeks. Then again, he couldn't help but wonder if she was even there. _Of course she is,_ His mind assured him. But, finding her town would be another matter entirely.

He winced as the screeching cries of the manta birds hit his ears. They often tailed the ships, older ones hanging around the stern. Yet, some of the cocky birds would fly up near the sails, and every spacer kept an eye open for them. One getting caught in the rigging would cut into their time.

A cool breeze swept across the deck and he gripped a rope of the shrouds tightly in anticipation. His breath came out in a huff as he stared out at the dimming skies. "Two years…" He whispered. "What in the Etherium makes me think she'll go along with this?"

_____

"Sora-"

"No." She answered, her boots stepping surprisingly lightly on the porch outside the line of apartments. "Never again." She said, her accent thick while trailing a hand along the railing.

Jim shook his head as the engine quieted and the sail lowered. "You're so stubborn."

She smiled down at him. "I wonder who I learned_ that_ from."

He looked up at her with a grin from the court-yard area surrounded the porch before leaning the surfer on the railing. "You love it." He said as he jumped up onto the porch on the opposite side of the white-washed railing. There wasn't much footing and he would've kept his balance had she not pushed him. With a laugh, he pulled himself back up, looking down at her with a playful grin.

With a soft smile, he brushed her long bangs out of her face. He had to hold back a chuckle as he noticed she held her breath. After a moment, he pressed his lips against hers, a warm feeling spreading throughout his body. Morph sputtered and coughed somewhere in the background, but it wasn't as if they paid him any mind. He pulled away for a moment, only for her to kiss him once more.

Presently, she leaned her head against his, biting back a smile. He sighed, hands still brushing her cheeks and breath washing over her face. It was then she realized she had forgotten to breathe. Her face flushed red as she spoke. "So…" She tilted her head. "What time are you leaving?"

He pulled away a bit to look at her. "Same as always. Why?" A puzzled look came over his face.

She shook her head. "Nothing."

He raised an eyebrow and rested his hands on the railing. "What is it?"

"It's nothing, Jim." She insisted. "Really."

Tapping his fingers loudly on the wood, he kept his eyes locked with hers.

After a moment, she looked away. "I just heard… Doppler was coming over with Amelia in the morning."

Rolling his eyes, Jim sighed. "What?" Sora asked.

She continued. "Jim, I can't-"

He shook his head. "You really need to stop worrying."

She gave him the sternest look she could muster. "Why can't you just take this seriously for once? If Amelia saw me-"

"Sora=" He cut in.

"It would be…" She looked away again, biting her lip. "…I don't know –her duty to report me. Then it's the gallows. I'm _not supposed_ to be here."

He tilted her chin so she would look at him. "It won't happen."

"Please, Jim. Just think about it seriously." She protested. "If she knew I was here, I would have to leave." She swallowed and spoke quietly. "And… I don't know if I could do that."

He looked down at her with a smile. "I won't let that happen." He could already see she was going to argue, so he silenced her reply with a kiss. "I promise you, Sora."

Her eyes still held a sad look somewhere in them, but she let herself believe him this time. "You swear it?"

He laughed quietly and nodded. "Thank you, Jim." She said barely above a whisper.

A smile spread across her face to match his when they heard the bell in the old clock tower sound. The sky had turned a soft pink hue, the wind just a bit colder with whispers of night approaching. "You should really go." She said.

He rolled his eyes as she continued. "We shouldn't have even been down there today. You've still got math work to do."

He groaned. "Don't remind me."

She laughed at his expression. "So-" She paused, her smile slowly fading. "I suppose I'll see you Friday."

He kissed her quickly and whispered in her ear. "I love you."

Her smile returned. "I love _you_." She whispered back as he hopped off the edge of the porch.

"Be glad you don't have to be in school all week." He called as he started the solar surfer's engine.

"Be glad you don't have to work all week." She countered with a laugh.

He nodded. "_A whole week with B.E.N."_ He threw her a smirk. "I feel sorry for you." The engine grumbled into life and the sail stood straight.

"Me too." She commented, resting her hands on the railing and watching him. He gripped the metal railing and kicked off, looking back after a few moments with a grin.

She waited outside until she couldn't see him any longer, her smile still barely lingering on her face. She tucked some loose strands of hair behind her ear as the cool wind played with them. With a now stoic look, she turned and opened the wooden door behind her, shutting it quietly.

----------

**A/N:**

I promise to work on better chapter endings. And, just to let you know, a terran is a human. Anyone who plays the computer game gets it, at least.

By the way, for every review, my muse considers coming out of hiding. Just thought I'd let you know.


	3. Life as We Know It

**A/N:**

After a ten month hiatus, I'm sure you all thought me dead. I _was _kidnapped by NaNoWriMo, however.

This chapter is for those of you who've followed it from the beginning. And those of you who so kindly picked it up after I more or less abandoned it.

Kudos to you guys.

--

_Date: 05.0-013.00_

_Place: Origine, Connaissance_

_I applied once again to the council this year. Perhaps something could actually change on this dust-infected planet were someone who was born after the Kaldean Riots come to a status of power. The minds of Atherton, Beauchamp__, Wickham, and the rest have spent the last decades rotting away into their old age, rendering their judgment almost completely ineffectual. Supposedly, were someone with a young mind and new ideas to voice their own opinions and, heaven forbid, change something, I think those poor old men would die right there in their chairs._

_They are far too stubborn in their ways._

_Dr. Messier was more than happy to voice my own thoughts when he found me at the cliff side once more. It seems he is one of the few souls who can look past the white towers of our own society and towards the undaunted horizon and the many galaxies past our atmosphere. I am sure I would surely lose my sanity if not for his companionship, if it even has the caliber of being called such._

--

Avery fingered the corner of the page, deciding against turning it. He blinked slowly, trying to sooth his tired eyes as he sat on the edge of his bunk, glancing across the tiny room. A flickering candle lay on an impossibly small desk next to the bed. After a moment of staring at it, he blew it out, his green eyes shining in the shadowed cabin.

Presently, he stepped out onto the deck, the night's cool air washing over him. He rested his elbows on the railing and watched as the stars flew past at a steady, yet fast rate. Sleep was just over his shoulder, yet somehow he couldn't quite grasp it. There were far too many thoughts on his mind for sleep, though his eyes were heavy with exhaustion and his tail nearly brushed the deck.

He tried desperately to pull his thoughts together. He knew he might as well figure out a way to convince her to help him. After all, he'd already promised Napier and the crew they'd get the map. Just as he was pondering this, a bright light spilled over the deck. His eyes shut tight for a moment, before opening ever so slightly. They had just sailed into view of a small sun off in the distance. Though it happened often when sailing across large quadrants of the Etherium, it threw everything out balance. The crew was, for a fact, in the middle of the First Watch and the time was just about midnight.

It really started to mess with his mind.

After only a few minutes, the bell rang while his eyes were still adjusting. The Middle Watch began, the new group of spacers coming up from below to get to their duties. Avery breathed deeply, considering going back to sleep, since he really didn't want to face tomorrow.

What would be her reaction to seeing his face?

His eyes jumped from star to star, from the small nebula that was still visible near the ship's stern to the archipelago far off in the distance.

Would she even remember him?

He suddenly laughed aloud at the question his mind formed. Of course she would remember him, he realized as his face hardened again.

She probably just didn't _want_ to.

--

The Benbonian marketplace had nothing on Crescentia. Montressor's spaceport was filled with a population as diverse as the stars themselves and sights and sounds that would send any small town worker wide-eyed. Here, the populace consisted of countless froglike Benbonians and humans with the constant drone of the drills mining into the side of the endless canyons. The air was continuously dry, whether the temperature was warm or cold and the landscape was a never-ending brown palette.

Transfixed not by the scenery, but by her own wandering thoughts, Sora jumped when someone laid a hand on her shoulder. The coins in her hand fell to the ground as she put a hand over her throat while the young girl now standing next to her laughed.

"Mercy," Her accent was thick with her Irish roots. "I'd gather you're a bit paranoid today, eh, Sora?"

Her pale face managed a smile before she collected the scattered coins. "Good morning to you as well, Emily."

Said girl put her hands on her hips and gave a wide smile. "It's a rare thing to see you up so early. Did Sarah send you on an errand?" Her deep red curls bounced with the slightest of movements.

Sora stood straight, brushing the dust off from her dark skirt. One of the things she hated most about Montressor was the dust. It was everywhere and inescapable. "Yeah." She answered and held up the basket she had on her arm, heavy with purps.

Emily gave a sympathetic smile towards her friend who was clearly half awake, though the sun was well risen in the sky. "Well, at least she didn't send ole'-"

"-B.E.N." Sora finished with a groan, looking past her shoulder.

B.E.N. had just picked up a purp from a stand down the road. However, this caused a dozen others to come spilling down the pile. With a shout, he clumsily tried to catch them all before they hit the ground.

"Oh." Emily murmured as she turned around and saw him stuttering as he apologized to the seller. "Never mind."

Sora winced and closed her eyes –a headache already forming. She desperately tried to remind herself that he meant well, helping. Nevertheless, even with his memory regained, he was still a klutz.

"Oh, come now. You know he doesn't mean to be a bother," Emily said, unintentionally voicing her friend's thoughts.

She took a deep breath of the hot air of the morning. "Yeah, I know." She muttered as B.E.N. came bounding up the road towards them.

"Morning," He chuckled nervously, fidgeting with his bronze fingers. "Time to go then? Oh, alright." With that, he continued on in front of them, rolling along on the wheels in his knees.

Sora couldn't help but roll her eyes at the ridiculous robot, but with a small smile. She and Emily followed him down the dirt road towards the Benbow Inn, as was usual.

"Have you seen Morph lately?" Sora asked suddenly as they passed the Dopplerville school house, a rickety little shack where the older locals had gone when it was still in use many years ago.

Emily bit her lip as she thought. "No. More than likely, he stowed away with Jim again."

She nodded at her friends answer while keeping her gaze on the old building as they passed it.

The rosy cheeked girl sighed before she spoke. "Count your blessings, friend." Emily never was one to let Sora alone to her thoughts long.

"Why's that?" Sora asked, slightly absentminded.

Emily rolled her eyes, as if it were obvious. "I've seen the way you look at one another." She sighed while gesturing. "Why can't it be that way with Jacob?"

"Gaines? Jacob _Gaines_?" Sora asked with an incredulous but joking tone.

"Oh!" Emily stomped her foot lightly on the ground while walking. "_Do_ be nice now, please? I can't take it when you tease me so."

"Sorry, Em." Her Felinid friend said with a laugh and a rare genuine grin. She already knew who her friend was in love with. But, it was always amusing to imagine the two together.

B.E.N. started to whistle up ahead of the two girls, a tune she had heard sung before by old blackguards long ago. She began to wonder where he had heard it, or if he truly remembered it from his days with Flint…

"Do yah dare say he's not kind? I've never seen a more honest man in my lifetime, I've not." Emily had the same look in her eyes that said she was back in town at the lumber mill where the boy she fancied was.

"'Course he is." She replied, looking down at the gravel as they walked. "So why not talk to him later?"

She heard silence and, as she looked up, Emily had a look on her face that made Sora think she had suggested they go jump off a cliff later.

"Are you kidding?"

Sora had to try not to roll her eyes.

"I can't just talk to him, out of the blue, for no reason!" Emily threw her hands up in the air as if what she said made perfect sense. "These things take time!"

"Okay…" She bit back a laugh as she spotted the Benbow's roof over the hill. "I guess I wouldn't really know that."

"Really?" Emily asked, surprised. It was then that Sora regretted opening her mouth.

"Uh…"

Her friend didn't hesitate to pounce on the subject. "You _never_ talk about when you and Jim met. You can't tell me you two weren't like that, right?"

She stuttered. "Well I-" Sighing, she couldn't even finish before Emily continued her interrogation.

"Didn't you like one another right away?" The look in her bright blue eyes made Sora sure that she wasn't going to get out of this.

She gave up, shaking her head though that caused her dark hair to fall in front of her face once more. "No." With a slight laugh, she grinned. "Actually, we hated each other."

She absolutely loved the shocked look on her friends face. Her laughter was only interrupted by Emily's next barrage of questions. "Really? So you didn't like him right after you moved here? I mean, with Sarah hiring you, it must've been annoying to see him so often if you despised each other…"

Sora swallowed uneasily and kept her eyes on the road. "Uh… yeah. Oh, good. We're here." She was grateful they had finally reached the Inn. After all, they had only been friends for nearly a year. There were still a lot of unanswered questions -and ones Sora refused to answer truthfully just yet.

The new building was much larger than before with a more elegant style. She had been glad that Silver had pretty much paid for the whole thing; it felt like their debts had been paid or sins forgiven. At least, almost.

--

The Interstellar Academy was nothing more than four square miles of black and white marble buildings filled with ignorant rich kids. So, it was only natural that he had found others like himself –accepted with high recommendations and hardly a drubloon to his name.

"Hey, Jim!"

He ducked just a split second before a leather ball flew through the air where he had been and hit the wall behind him with a loud thud. The dark blue walls shuddered, almost in pain at the new hit, and a picture frame fell off of its hook on the opposite side of the room. With one hand on the railing of the top bunk, Jim quickly threw the ball back at Cliff with as much force as he could.

The other boy caught it before it hit his face, a smirk spreading across his laughing face. He hopped up onto the other bunk on the opposite wall avoiding a kick from the young man on the bottom.

"Someday, someone's gonna pop that stupid thing of yours, Cliff." Vic piped in over the noise of the other students goofing off in the hallway outside. He was surprisingly quiet most of the time, usually found reading on his bottom bunk.

Cliff leaned over the side of the railing to glare at him upside-down. "And on that day, you'll wake up with half of your fro missin'." The Terran flashed a wicked smile at his fellow classmate.

Vic kicked the bunk above him, and Cliff swung back, chuckling. Without warning, the door opened with a gust of cool air, and Vic's older brother, Trent, leaned in, looking up at Cliff. His white uniform, for the graduating class only, contrasted greatly with his dark skin.

"Dude, Macy and Jake just had another epic breakup on the courtyard. You could hear her voice from the docks," he laughed. "Comin'?"

Jim and Vic rolled their eyes at the same time as Cliff jumped off his bunk. "You're really that immature?" Vic asked.

Cliff looked back quickly before leaving, shrugging. "She's _cute_. She's _single_. And I _still_ need a date for the formal. See ya-" He shut the door in a rush.

Jim sighed, shaking his head. Cliff was _never_ going to grow up.

Vic flipped the page in his book, never lifting his eyes from it. "Sora comin' for that?" His eyes flicked over the page quickly.

Jim paused for a moment, looking up at the ceiling a few feet above him. He hadn't mentioned it to her yet. "I'm not sure…" He closed his eyes, resting his hands on his stomach. He should have been studying.

"Huh…" Vic looked up to the other bunk where Jim lay, seemingly sleeping. "I would've thought she'd do anything to get outta Benbow," he said with a chuckled. "I know _I_ hate going back every weekend."

"Yeah…" Jim sighed. He opened his eyes to stare at the white paint once more. He probably should have said something about it to her.

So why didn't he?

--

**A/N:**

You know what? It's only about 2,200 words – but it's 2,200 words of crap that I just don't want to look at anymore. Sorry for the short chapter, I've already got 4 and 5 halfway written. Of course, you all know that doesn't mean I'll get them up anytime soon… ;)

Just kidding.


	4. AN Story

A/N:

Author's notes aren't supposed to take the place of chapters on this site, so this is the story of an author whose writing style has changed so much that her old fanfiction makes her cringe. She refuses to delete it, however, and still cares about the plot this particular story was going have. So she decides to use the plot in a new fanfiction, with new characters, because she's sick of editing and re-editing her NaNoWriMo stories. And they all lived happily ever after waiting for this mysterious story she should start writing right about… now. Hopefully. ;)


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